Receptacle for depository apparatus



Aug. 14, 1962 G. SIMJIAN RECEPTACLE FOR DEPOSITORY APPARATUS 22, 19 58 4Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Dec.

INVENTOR.

LUTHER G. SIMJIAN,

Ham

Aug. 14, 1962 L. G. SlMJlAN RECEPTACLE FOR DEPOSITORY APPARATUS 4Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Dec. 22, 1958 O O O O O O O O O 0 wilINVENTOR. LUTHER G. SIMJIAN AGENT.

1962 L. G. SIMJIAN 3,049,312

RECEPTACLE FOR DEPOSITORY APPARATUS Original Filed Dec. 22, 1958 4Sheets-Sheet 3 I i I A INVENTOR. LUTHER G. SIMJIAN AGENT.

Aug. 14, 1962 L. G. SIMJIAN RECEPTACLE FOR DEPOSITORY APPARATUS 4Sheets-Sheet 4 Original Filed Dec. 22, 1958 IOZA FIG.

INVENTOR. LUTHER G. SIMJIAN AGENT.

Patented Aug. 14, 1962 3,049,312 RECEPTACLE FOR DEPQSITORY APPARATUSLuther G. Simjian, Greenwich, Conn, assignor to Universal MatchCorporation, Ferguson, Mo., a corporation of Delaware Originalapplication Dec. 22, 1958, Ser. No. 782,177, now Patent No. 2,971,303,dated Feb. 14, 1961. Divided and this application Aug. 15, 1960, Ser.No. 49,499 3 Claims. (Cl. 242-561) This application is a divisionalapplication of copending application for US. Letters Patent, Serial No.782,177, entitled Method and Apparatus for Compartmentizing and Storingan Article, filed December 22, 1958, now US. Patent No. 2,971,303, datedFebruary 14, 196 1.

This invention is related also to an improved method forcompartmentizing a plurality of individual articles to effect a unitarydeposit as disclosed in my copending application for US. Letters PatentSerial No. 693,986 entitled Depository Machine Combined With CameraMeans, filed November 1, 1957, now U.S. Patent No. 2,936,684 issued May17, 1960.

In connection with depository devices of the type disclosed in theapplication referenced, it is necessary not only to provide means forreceiving one or more individual articles but also to store thesearticles for deposit in a distinct and separate manner from a succeedingdeposit. Although this task may be accomplished for instance by the useof a compartmentized receptacle into which the single article or aplurality of articles is inserted, I have found that greatsimplification can be achieved by providing covering material in theform of a strip or in other suitable shape to effectcompartmentiz'ation.

One of the objects of this invention is therefore, the provision of animproved and novel receptacle for a depository apparatus.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a depositoryreceptacle adapted to receive tape material which acts as a carrier fordeposits.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a receptacle whichis provided with a roller, the latter being adapted to have a pair ofsuperposed tapes wound about its circumference and the receptacleincluding also a tension roller for engaging the tape, the tensionroller causing the pair of tapes to be taut and forced in a directiontoward the receptacle.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a substantiallyenclosed receptacle which is provided with an aperture through which apair of tape enters the receptacle, a roller in the receptacle aboutwhich the pair of tapes is wound for storage, a tension roller forengaging at least one of the tapes along the path from the aperturetoward the storage roller, and a severing means disposed in proximity tothe receptacle aperture for cutting the tapes whereby the tension rollercauses the severed ends to be pulled through the aperture into thereceptacle for concealing the respective ends.

Further and still other objects of this invention will be apparent byreference to the following specification taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view, partly in section, along lines 1-1 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view, partly in section, along lines 2-2 ofFIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a plan view showing in an enlarged scale certain portionsappearing in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is an elevational view, partly in section, of certain detailsas viewed along lines 44 in FIGURE 1;

JFIGURE 5 is a close-up view of an article supporting means visible inFIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is a side view of the article supporting means shown in FIGURE5;

FIGURE 7 is an elevational view, partly in section, along lines 7-7 ofFIGURE 1;

FIGURE 8 is a top view of FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 9 is an elevational view, partly in section, along lines 99 ofFIGURE 1;

FIGURE 10 is a plan view of an alternate arrangement for providing stripmaterial;

FIGURE 11 is a plan view of the strip material obtained by the meansshown in FIGURE 10, and

FIGURE 12 is a perspective view, illustrating another method forproviding suitable strip material.

Referring now to the figures and FIGURE 1 in particular, numeral 11identifies a base plate on which there is supported a pair of rolls ofstrip material, numerals 12 and 13. This strip material may compriseflexible paper tape, banding material, filament tape, ribbon material,wire, or other suitable material which is adapted to partially or whollycover articles and which is adapted to retain and compartmentize asingle or a plurality of articles. Tape 14 being unwound from roll 12 isfed about a fixed roller 15, a resiliently biased roller 16, over afixed roller 17, and in contact with a reciprocating roller 18 to astorage receptacle 19, the latter being mounted on a support plate 20.Tape 21, being unwound from the roll of tape 13, is fed over a fixedroller 22 along an electrical sensing switch 23, along the inner face ofa pressure plate 24 to storage receptacle 19.

It will be observed that tapes 14 and 21 are spaced from one another atan area opposite the pressure plate 24 and this area, numeral 25, willbe referred hereinafter as an article insertion station, as will be moreclearly understood during the ensuing description.

iressure plate 24 is equipped on its side width a set of protrudingL-shaped brackets, numerals 26 and 27, which are made preferably ofround bar stock and which are used as pick-off fingers since they areadapted to pick articles from article supporting means and retain thearticles in stacked relation prior to the articles becomingcompartmentized by portions of tapes 14 and 21 respectively. Thehorizontal portions of the L-shaped fingers are disposed below the loweredge of strip material =21.

Motor 31, mounted in a suitable frame structure which comprises in partside plates 32 and 3-3, drives a gear 34 which via chain 35 drivesanother gear 36. Gear 36 is mounted on a common transverse shaft withgear 38, the latter driving by way of intermediate gearing, seen moreclearly in FIGURE 2, a cam 40 and a set of timing cams 41 and 42.

When motor 31 runs through a cycle of operation, cam 40 (FIGURE 2) isrotated so as to cause reciprocatory motion of roller 18. This roller issupported within a U-shaped bracket 45 from which there extends acentral push rod 46, the latter being in engagement with and driven byeccentric cam 40, this cam being mounted on a common shaft with gear 47and the latter receiving its rotation from gear 38 via a set ofintermediate gears, numerals 48, 49 and 50. Helical compression springs51 and .52 engage guide rods 53 and 54 respectively and apply a bias tobracket 45 so as to hold the roller in its retracted position, that isaway from pressure plate 24.

Articles to be compartmentized and stored are inserted in a set ofpockets 60 which are mounted in nested fashion, as indicated in FIGURE2, between a set of laterally spaced endless chains 61 along a portionof the chain loop. The chains, only one being visible in FIGURE 2,

are driven in unison by motor 31 about a set of sprockets 62, 63, 64,and 65.

Each pocket, as shown more clearly in FIGURES 5 and 6, comprises threeU-folded portions, numerals 60A,

60B, and 60C. The individual pocket sections are held to one another bysuitable brackets 60D, the latter brackets being formed also in a mannerto fasten the pockets to the chains, see FIGURE 6. In its over-allappearance each pocket forms a U-shaped support means which is adaptedto receive an article to be deposited, for instance, a money bill, whichwill be inserted into the pocket in an upstanding fashion.

During each cycle of operation the pockets 60 mounted on chains 61 arerotated one complete revolution whereby the pockets traverse in verticaldirection (counter-clockwise as indicated by the arrow in FIG- URE 2)the article insertion station 25, FIGURE 1. The pick-off fingers 26 and27 are so disposed that they come to be positioned within the spacebetween pocket portions 60A and 60B, and 6GB and 60C respectively, yetlie in front of brackets 60D. In this manner when pockets 60 pass thepressure plate 24, individual articles inserted in pockets 60 areremoved sequentially from the pockets, thereby causing a plurality ofarticles distributed among the several pockets to become collected,stacked, and retained at this station. As each pocket passes through thestation, each removed article becomes aligned in brackets 26 and 27 andis placed in stacked relation with respect to the article removed fromthe preceding pocket.

The passing of pockets 60 through the article insertion station 25 isseen more clearly in FIGURE 3 wherein pocket 60 carrying an article A isshown as being disposed opposite pressure plate 24. It will be observedthat at the time that pockets 60 pass through the article insertionstation, roller 18 is retracted so as to permit unimpeded movement ofthe pockets. Slack of strip material 14, caused by rearward motion ofroller 18, is taken up by resiliently biased roller 16 (FIGURE 1). Whenpockets 60 have moved through the article insertion station, allarticles formerly contained in pockets 69 are disposed in stackedrelation and are placed furthermore, between strip 21 in front and strip14 located toward the rear. A brief moment thereafter and while motor 31is still running, roller 18 is driven forward by virtue of itsengagement with cam 40, carrying with it strip 14, thereby causingclamping pressure to be exerted at the leading edge of articles A. Thearticles thus become frictionally retained between strips 21 and 14.Next, cam 41 energizes its associated microswitch (FIG- URE l) to causethe so retained articles to be advanced toward the receptacle 19,thereby effecting compartmentization of the articles between bothstrips, and causing the articles and strips to be wound about roller 70.

Roller 70, see FIGURE 9, is driven from a motor 71 via shaft 72 fittedwith a transverse pin 73 which engages vertical slots in roller 70. Inthis manner positive coupling is achieved between motor 71 and roller 79contained within storage receptacle 19. When receptacle 19 is full, assensed by switch 75 (FIGURE 1), it is lifted off plate 20 and thusuncoupled from shaft 72. It will be apparent to those skilled in the artthat the receptacle is constructed with a removable top lid so as toenable authorized personnel to gain access to the stored andcompartmentized material wound about roller 70. As the strips 14 and 21,retaining compartmentized articles A therebetween, enter aperture 76 ofreceptacle 19, they pass a knife 77 which is used to sever the stripmaterial, particularly when removal of the storage receptacle and itscontents from the apparatus is desired. The receptacle is equipped onits inside with a resiliently biased tension roller 73 about which thestrip material and the compartmentized articles are wound. As soon asthe strips are severed, roller 78 by means of spring 79 causes the freeend of the strip material to be drawn into the inside of the receptaclethus rendering the strips and their contents inaccessible to the depositcollecting personnel. The filled receptacle then is moved otf shaft 72and delivered to the collecting establishment.

FIGURE 4 shows in detail the arrangement of the strips and articles atplate 24. Going from front to rear on the left side there is plate 24-,strip material 21, articles A and pick-off finger 26. Toward the rightthere is visible roller 18, knife 77, and storage receptacle 19.

The unwinding of rolls 12 and 13 is prevented by friction means moreclearly illustrated in FIGURES 7 and 8. Each roll is mounted on a shaft80 equipped with a transverse pin 81 which engages a vertical slot inbushing 83. Shaft 80 is provided also with a flange 84 having at oneside thereof a friction pad 85, for instance felt, which engages plate11. Spring 88 provides engagement pressure between friction pad 85 andthe underside of plate 11. When strip material is unwound from roll 12or 13 by operation of motor 71, the engagement between friction pad 85and plate 11 tends to keep strips 14 and 21 taut.

Although the operation of the various elements has been indicatedheretofore in connection with the identification of the variouscomponents, it will be advantageous to review the operation of thevarious elements and their coaction for one complete operating cycle.

When the machine is at rest, the pockets are in the position asindicated in FIGURE 2 and roller 18 is retracted as shown in FIGURE 3. Adepositor desiring to operate the machine inserts articles such as moneybills into pockets 60. When the machine is started by suitable controlmeans, motor 31 is energized, causing rotation of gears 34, 36, 63, 38,48, 49, 50 and 47. This causes the chains 61 to rotate about sprockets62, 63, 64, and 65 thereby providing motion of the pockets 60 past thearticle insertion station. As the pockets move past the articleinsertion station, pick-off fingers 26 and 27 collect and retain instacked relationship the individual articles A formerly disposed inpockets 60. When the pockets have left the article insertion stationeccentric cam 40, driven by gear 47, advances roller 18 toward theforward position as shown in FIGURE 1, thereby clamping the articlesbetween strips 21 and 14. A brief moment thereafter, cam 41, also drivenby motor 31, causes closing of the associated circuit switch which inturn energizes motor 71 to pull the stacked articles confined betweenthe two sets of strips into receptacle 19. As the articles pass roller18 they become fully compartmentized.

When the articles have been moved into the storage receptacle, eccentriccam 40 permits roller 18 to again resume its retracted position as shownin FIGURE 3, pockets 60 will have resumed their location as shown inFIGURE 2, and switch 23 engaging strip 21 causes shutdown of motor 31.Switch 23 senses properly spaced perforations in strip 21 in order toeffect always the same amount of material to pass the insertion stationbefore shutdown occurs. It will be apparent that other measurmg meansmay be used for timing purposes, such as photoelectric cells sensingperforations through which a light shines or photoelectric cells sensingspaced markings on the strips. Alternately, a measuring roller incontact with the strip material and driving a cam which in turn actuatesa switch may be employed. By suitably ad usting the amount of stripmaterial to be dispensed for each operating cycle, the apparatus may begoverned in such a manner that the individual deposits do not onlybecome compartmentized but also properly spaced from one another asindicated in FIGURE 1, wherein there is a d1st1nct amount of spacingbetween succeeding deposits. In this manner a plurality of individualarticles can be collected for deposit and stored as a unitary depositwhich 18 distinct from a succeeding and similar deposit.

Cam 42 also driven by motor 31, is a timing cam to eifect operation forone cycle upon starting motor 31.

Obviously, suitable burglar protection may be incorporated so as toprevent unauthorized removal of the storage receptacle containingdeposits from the apparatus. Moreover, proper locking means may beemployed to fasten the top cover to the receptacle so as to safeguardthe deposits and to assure that the top cover will be opened only at thecollection establishment and not in transit.

FIGURES 10, 11 and 12 show variations in the arrangement forcompartmentizing articles. Whereas in th: preceding illustrations a pairof strips is used, one strip in front and one strip in the rear of thearticles, FIGURES and 11 show an alternate arrangement wherein a singlestrip is cut into three lengthwise portions. Numeral 101 refers to aspool on which there is mounted a roll of paper tape 102. The tape isfed about a roller 10 3 and then to a pair of slitting knives 104 whichare mounted between suitable brackets 105. From there the tape is fed toa roller 106 and the upper and lower tape portions 102A and 102 B remainin front whereas the middle portion 102C is fed about rollers 107, 108and 109 thus occupying the location of tape 14 of FIGURE 1. In thismanner a set of three strip materials is employed using only a singleroll of supply.

FIGURE 12 shows a further solution wherein a strip or length of tapematerial 1 10 is fed about a triangular die 111 to form two upstandingportions of tape 110A and 110B. These two portions forming a V may nowbe severed by means of a slitting knife, thus causing two separate tapesor, by means of collecting means disclosed in my aforementionedapplication for Letters Patent, articles are inserted into the V-shapedmaterial so as to partially or wholly enclose the articles and thentransport the entire package to the storage receptacle 19.

It is apparent that the instant arrangement readily and very simplyprovides a method and means for compartmentizing an article orcompartmentizing a plurality of stacked articles. In this mannerdeposits are stored separately and distinctly from each succeedingdeposit without the necessity of pre-constructed pockets orcompartmentized containers. The over-all result is a considerablesimplification of the apparatus and reduction in complexity of articleinsertion means. The storage receptacle itself is free of complex andintricate parts. Unloading of the receptacle is accomplished readily byremoving the top cover, feeding the severed ends through the apertureand then unwinding the tapes which retain stacked articles, deposit bydeposit. Obviously, a mechanism similar to unwinding film reels may beemployed to accomplish the emptying of the receptacle.

If desired, marking means may be arranged in the apparatus to providetapes 14 or 21 with indicia before they enter the receptacle. Theindicia may constitute serial numbers, dates, codes, etc. as applicable.

It shall be understood further that without deviating from theprinciples disclosed the dispensing of strips, wire, or ribbon may bereplaced by pre-cut or pre-folded and cut covering material. The lattermaterial may be dispensed from a hopper to the article insertion stationin order to produce the compartmentized deposit described hereinbefore.

While there have been described certain embodiments of the presentinvention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variousother modifications and changes may be incorporated without deviatingfrom the spirit and intent of the present invention which shall belimited only by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A tape receiving receptacle for a depository apparatus comprising: anenclosure which includes a removable lid; a tape storing roller disposedin the enclosure and mounted for rotation about a fixed center; saidroller adapted to have tape wound about its circumference in response tothe roller being rotated about its center; an aperture in said enclosurethrough which tape disposed in part outside of the enclosure is adaptedto enter the receptacle on its path to the roller; a movable mountedtension roller disposed in said receptacle and located for engaging saidtape along its path from said aperture toward said tape storing roller;resilient means effective upon said tension roller for causing said tapeto be taut and forced in the direction toward said receptacle; a cuttingmeans disposed in proximity to said aperture and adapted upon actuationto sever the tape, and said cutting means and tension roller beingadjusted relative to one another such that the tension roller whenresiliently engaging said tape has suificient motion to pull uponactuation of the cutting means the severed tape end associated with thetape wound about the tape storing roller through the aperture into thereceptacle.

2. A tape receiving receptacle for a depository apparatus comprising: anenclosure which includes a removable lid; a tape storing roller disposedin the enclosure and mounted for rotation about a fixed center; saidroller adapted to have a pair of superposed tapes wound in concentriclayers about its circumference in response to the roller being rotatedabout its center; an aperture in said enclosure through which the pairof superposed tapes disposed in part outside of the enclosure is adaptedto enter the receptacle on its path to the roller; a tension rollerfastened to a pivotally mounted lever disposed in said receptacle andlocated for engaging the side of one of said tapes along the path ofsaid tapes from said aperture toward said storage roller; resilientmeans efiective upon said lever for causing said tapes to be taut andcausing said tension roller to exert a pulling force upon the tapes inthe direction away from said aperture toward said receptacle; a cuttingmeans disposed outside said enclosure in proximity to said aperture andadapted upon actuation to sever said tapes, and said cutting means andpivoting lever being adjusted such that the tension roller when engagingsaid one tape has sulficient motion to pull upon actuation of thecutting means the severed tape ends under tension by said tension rollerthrough the aperture into the receptacle for concealing said respectiveends.

3. A tape receiving receptacle for a depository apparatus comprising: anenclosure which includes a removable lid; a tape storing roller disposedin the enclosure and mounted for rotation about a fixed center; saidroller adapted to have a pair of superposed tapes wound in concentriclayers about its circumference in response to the roller being rotatedabout its center; an aperture in said enclosure through which the pairof superposed tapes disposed in part outside of the enclosure is adaptedto enter the receptacle on its path to the roller; a tension rollerfastened to a pivotally mounted lever disposed in said receptacle andlocated for engaging the side of one of said tapes along the path ofsaid tapes from said aperture toward said storage roller; resilientmeans effective upon said lever for causing said tapes to be taut andcausing said tension roller to exert a pulling force upon the tapes inthe direction away from said aperture toward said receptacle; a cuttingmeans disposed outside said enclosure in proximity to said aperture andadapted upon actuation to sever said tapes; said cutting means andpivoting lever being spaced such that the tension roller when engagingsaid one tape has sufiicient motion to pull upon actuation of thecutting means the severed tape ends under tension by said tension rollerthrough the aperture into the receptacle for concealing said ends, andswitching means disposed for actuation when the concentric layers onsaid roller assume a predetermined size, denoting the filled conditionof the receptacle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,468,620 Addy Sept. 25, 1923 1,635,850 Kubista July 12, 1927 1,940,701Shope Dec. 26, 1933 2,010,006 Bosch Aug. 6, 1935 2,568,431 Congdon Sept.18, 1951 2,684,534 Ljungberg July 27, 1954 2,692,436 Krueger Oct. 26,1954 2,965,325 Hall Dec. 20, 1960

